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Soybean farmers support renewal of Grain Standards Act

The U.S. Grain Standards Act Reauthorization Act of 2015 would extend and amend provisions of the act, which authorizes the Department of Agriculture to establish official marketing standards for grains and to provide procedures for grain inspection and weighing.

The bill, which would reauthorize several expiring provisions through 2020, is supported by the American Soybean Association (ASA) as a way to maintain quality export services.

“The Grain Standards Act renewal will ensure growers and their foreign customers have a U.S. inspection system that will continue to represent the ‘gold standard’ for quality exports of U.S. soybeans and grain,” ASA
Communications ManagerJordan Bright told Crop Protection News. “The act will require the Federal Grain Inspection Service to step in and prevent a disruption of export inspection services, like those experienced at the Port of Vancouver in Washington State last summer, and keep agricultural shipments moving in a timely fashion.”

Bright said the Grain Standards Act helps underscore the reliability of the U.S. export inspection system and the dedication of U.S. growers to deliver quality products.

A primary focus of the ASA is policy development and implementation. Policy development starts with the farmer/members and culminates at an annual meeting of voting delegates.